Peter's basic nature v Snape basic nature/ Which one is worse? Pure speculat

[Mari]

No: HPFGUIDX 145111

Magpie:
 
> Dumbledore makes his offer after it's clear Draco is not going to 
kill 
> him.  Draco does not begin to lower his wand and then get tempted 
by 
> glory but the other way around.  He says (slowly) "I've got this 
far, 
> you're in my mercy, I'm the one with the wand," to which Dumbledore 
> says it's *his* mercy that matters, and then he lowers his wand. 
> 
> Draco's stated intention in most of the scene is to kill Dumbledore-
-
> he pretty much thinks he has to to keep his family from being 
> executed, and he's got no reason to think that Dumbledore is going 
to 
> offer him anything like protection.  But he doesn't do it.  He 
keeps 
> talking, confessing, not doing the deed.  He never makes any actual 
> move to kill Dumbledore at all, and Dumbledore correctly says that 
> he's not going to do it.
> 
> I don't think Draco's line about getting farther than anyone 
thought 
> and having Dumbledore in his power are just about being tempted by 
> power--I think they're more important than that.  Draco is telling 
> himself that he has power in the scene, he has done better than 
> expected at Voldemort's task and has Dumbledore at his mercy--but 
then 
> he starts to lower his wand anyway--iow, he could maybe have that 
> glory; if he lowers his wand he's choosing DD instead. The position 
> of "power" Draco reminds himself that he has there makes his 
> consideration of mercy worth more.  He's proved something in 
getting 
> himself to this point, but must choose what step he wants to take 
> now.  I think he's being offered and is tempted by mercy (implying 
> responsibility for what he's done and acknowledging this isn't 
> something Dumbledore owes him) there and not just acting out of 
self-
> protection.   That last scene--Dumbledore's last scene--seem to be 
all 
> about exactly that to me.  The scene is, imo, not a political one 
but 
> one connected to the more important themes of the series.
> 
> -m

Now Mari:

I agree with your interpretation of this scene, magpie. In fact, 
Dumbledore's saying "it is my mercy, and not yours, that matters now" 
was a strong sign to me, even before it actually happened, that he 
was prepared to die. This remark makes no sense if he was not 
thinking in terms of sacrificing himself, if necessary, to redeem 
draco.

Also, Draco here is operating under a mistaken definition of mercy; 
to Dumbledore, and by implication JKR herself, a key element of 
genuine mercy is sparing/forgiving/offering grace to someone who does 
not *deserve* it. Draco, however, seems to equate mercy with 
helplessness and weakness; when he says Dumbledore is at his 'mercy' 
he means Dumbledore is in a vulnerable position. 

The real opportunity for mercy does indeed lie with Dumbledore. 
Dumbledore could disarm, disable or stun Draco. Here we come to the 
second specific element of mercy as I believe JKR is trying to define 
it; when it is offered, mercy, like grace, can be rejected. If there 
is no choice involved, the so called mercy or grace means little in 
the end. Puppets cannot receive mercy because puppets cannot make 
*choices* Doing good or being forgiven for being bad can't mean much 
if the opportunity for choosing one or the other isn't there in the 
first place.

I can't help but think that this scene with Dumbledore will have a 
major effect on Draco; the question is whether he can accept what 
Dumbledore offered. People like to feel that they deserve what they 
are given; problem is, none of us can categorically say that we 
deserve mercy rather than justice; by definition mercy is not 
something anyone can 'deserve.'

Hope these ramblings make some sense! :-)

Mari.